May I be curious and ask you how you intend to smooth out the wall cladding? You see, our family moved last summer from Finland to Stockholm, rented a lovely house in Södra Ängby for six months, and last week we moved into our own very house in Norra Ängby. The house is lovely, but in the entry hall there is this same wall cladding, and I simply hate it. So a blog entry on how to deal with the ugliness would be highly appreciated!

You can get "renoveringstapet"/lining paper/blank stock at any paint/diy store. It's like a thicker wallpaper (sometimes with glass fiber but I've used the type without. One brand is called Konkret and it's really great to work with. Here's a post where I've used some: http://chezlarsson.com/myblog/2011/11/willes-tv-nook-2.html. The great thing is that it covers bumpy walls such as these in this post without having to spackle. The reason why I haven't done it here is that it's not just four walls, there are so many nooks, crannies and recesses and I just don't have time for that project now. At least the walls aren't banana yellow with brown trim anymore.

The screws actually came with the rack which I thought was really cool. I've never seen any in a hardware store though. I guess a little spray paint could do it? Stick the screws in some styrofoam so the end doesn't get paint on and spray the tops?

I do. I don't think any Swedes are partial to it because in the 80's it was put up EVERYWHERE! Especially in new builds. It's fiberglass and a nightmare to remove as it turns into - you guessed it- FIBERS if you try to pull it off!

Like so many others, you are the first blog I read each and every day--a favorite of MINE! I have painted unsightly screws with just a small brush and craft paint. So nice when that detail is in the design!

I was about to mention that sticker but saw that Melissa already did. It may be the angle of the photo, but at first glance it looked crooked...which I knew you would not stomach long! I have the urge to straighten out all crooked bumper stickers on cars, so I am most definitely not making fun of you. Sorry you didn't win the blog contest.

My husband is the one at our house for whom the silver color of the screws against a white bracket is a thorn (but I have to admit he's right). I keep a tiny bottle of white gloss paint and paint brush made for model cars. After hanging a white bracket or assembling a white item, we go back and paint the screw heads white. That way they aren't marred from the screwdriver scratching the paint during the work process. It makes him feel so much better.

Benita - maybe this common to you now, but did you know that your name and blog was mentioned in the February 2012 Woman's Day (US) magazine? You were credited as the inspiration behind one woman's craft room organizational makeover. She had taken off closet doors and make a curtain and then organized bins on a gorilla type shelf. (Sort of like your basement storage area.) Let me know if you would like me to send you the magazine.

Count me in the camp that likes the look of the painted textured paper but I am surprised to learn it is fiberglass! I assumed it was woven grass/straw, which I have seen in circa 1920-30s houses in the US.